Tired OE ESA system on my 2010 GSA - Wilbers or Hagons?

botus said:
BWM std shocks are awful, the ESA variety is just awful and expensive

Mine has the ESA WP as standard and I’ve always thought it was one of the best features of the bike (2011 TB).
Always planned that if it went pop I would get Wilbers ESA just because I could go slightly lower but nothing a miss with the standard set up, yet.
Click to expand...
 
My take on Wilbers ESA is that The ESA works better on the Wibers shocks, I can really feel the difference between the settings.
 
tspivey said:
botus said:
BWM std shocks are awful, the ESA variety is just awful and expensive
Click to expand...

Mine has the ESA WP as standard and I’ve always thought it was one of the best features of the bike (2011 TB).
Always planned that if it went pop I would get Wilbers ESA just because I could go slightly lower but nothing a miss with the standard set up, yet.
Click to expand...

I've got ESA on my K1300GT and had it on my 2017 adventure and ridden a fair few other GS with it.

If one could set the damping up manually so the ESA started in the right place it'd probably would work well. The K1300 has preload which seems to work, but no front damping. And I can't separate sport from the traction so I just have a bad compromise either way round. I'd be happier with manual comp and rebound adjustment both ends.

The adventure damping needed to be set up to switch between comfort under 40 and sport anything above that. However I got rid of the bike very quickly because the electronics just wanted a fight when I just wanted to accelerate, its funny how a hex head without traction can just go down the road faster than an LC which turns the key off "as there's no grip to allow it to accelerate!"

And I can't believe they still have flexi stantions on the 1250. A hex head's forks flex like mad if you run road tyres and ride hard (I've got a brace on mine). Yet the LC bikes have got 5mm less diameter and the wall of the stantions is made of tin foil?
 
Tallguy said:
Hi all, I'm in the same boat - tired ESA, bit of a budget, so was thinking of replacing the ESA with Wilbers (£710 pair) or Hagon (£600 pair) non-ESA. It's been asked a couple of times but no answer that I can see - will there be errors/fault codes if the ESA is unplugged (equiv to running non-ESA)? Thanks all!
2012 R1200GS Adventure
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly, you get error codes if you check with a GS911 but nothing otherwise. The manual Wilbers were a big improvement over the standard ESA system. (2010 GSA).
 
Thanks fella. Elsewhere I’ve heard some say this, others say you get the suspension warning light on the dash but no one’s sure what happens on a particular bike until you try it. Guess I’ll find out!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I ran my 2011 1200GSA with the preload for the front and rear shocks disconnected for a while. No warning lights come on. I am pretty sure it will be the same with the damping disconnected too. Faults are recorded each time you start the bike and you obviously can’t adjust them.

I replaced the knackered shocks with Wilbers ESA built to riding style, mine & pillion’s weights. I find them a bit harsh at low speed and gentle riding, esp solo but two up or luggage or both they are much much better than standard. Also noticeably better when riding more aggressively and particularly so on rough lumpy bumpy minor roads.
 
Seems it depends on the bike. Perhaps I’ll try to work out how to disconnect the esa and see what happens!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Tallguy said:
Seems it depends on the bike. Perhaps I’ll try to work out how to disconnect the esa and see what happens!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The rear connectors are easy to access - just follow the wires from the shock to where they clip to the frame under the rider seat just aft of the battery (iirc).

The front is a bit more inaccessible being under the tank just behind the headstock. If you remove all the trim from the tank and undo the main bolt the tank can be lifted at the back slightly and pulled back 2-3 inches off its front mounts. Rest it carefully and You should then be able to see the connectors on top of the frame.

The connectors themselves are a bit fiddly to pull apart with the locking tab being a bugger to compress and pull open at the same time. You can leave one of the halves attached to the frame or there is another tab to compress and the whole thing unclips from the frame.

It’s easy really what I’ve written makes it sound difficult. It’s not, just fiddly while you work out what’s what and how the clips work
 
Got a pair of WP shocks off a 2012GS, ESA style but no ESA gubbins. Going cheap if anyone is looking for a spare pair to send away for refurb. PM me.
 
Tallguy said:
Seems it depends on the bike. Perhaps I’ll try to work out how to disconnect the esa and see what happens!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I have no idea about a GS911 but the motoscan app can enable or disable the ESA in every module so it will be exactly as per the original spec of a bike with or without ESA, its literally a few check marks on you phone screen then press code, should take the skill of a monkey and 6 minutes of your time start to finish
 
Fitting Wilbers shocks to ESA units will not replace the ESA stuff. The preload and damping control uses the same old stuff that came with the bike. If they are toast you will need new ESA at silly money or you could use the Tractive replacements from Holland. The company was set up by redundant employees when WP moved to Austria.

Wilbers also have WESA-X. The components look very much like those sold by Touratech for double the money. IIRC Tractive had a similar product but I cant see it on their website.

Tractive ESA replacement https://tractivesuspension.com/motorbikes/bmw-esa-products/

Wilbers WESA-X https://www.wilbers-shop.de/en/Moto...R12/shock-absorber-type-646-WESA-X.html?cur=5
 
Bendy toy said:
Fitting Wilbers shocks to ESA units will not replace the ESA stuff. The preload and damping control uses the same old stuff that came with the bike. If they are toast you will need new ESA at silly money or you could use the Tractive replacements from Holland. The company was set up by redundant employees when WP moved to Austria.

Wilbers also have WESA-X. The components look very much like those sold by Touratech for double the money. IIRC Tractive had a similar product but I cant see it on their website.

Tractive ESA replacement https://tractivesuspension.com/motorbikes/bmw-esa-products/

Wilbers WESA-X https://www.wilbers-shop.de/en/Moto...R12/shock-absorber-type-646-WESA-X.html?cur=5
Click to expand...

If your ESA stuff is working, then it works better when fitted to a set of Wibers, as it seems to have a wider range, you can really feel the changes between the settings when it fitted to the new shocks. I’m not sure why but it may be because you start off with a shock properly sprung for your weight.

I’m fairly sure that Tractive supply the units sold by Touratech. The Tractive units replace the OEM ESA with their own but not cheap.
 
Got some Wilbers economy shocks and much better with no warning lights. Thanks for the chat! I will be posting my old worn out esa shocks for sale if anyone wants them to send away for rebuild at their weight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

2010 ESA on GSA - Not so much adjustment ?
2
Replies
21
Views
3,498
Stretchamus
Stretchamus


Back
Top Bottom